WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE ?
Mick is appearing on the Irish version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and towards the end of the programme had already won £500,000 "You've done very well so far," said the show's presenter, "But for £1 million you've only got one lifeline left - phone a friend. Everything is riding on this question...will you have a go ?"
"Sure," said Mick. "I'll have a go !"
"OK. The question is, which of the following birds does NOT build its own nest ?
(a) Robin, (b) Sparrow, (c) Cuckoo, or (d) Thrush.
"I haven't got a clue," says Mick, "so I'll use my last lifeline and phone my friend Paddy back home in Ballygoon."
Mick calls up his mate, tells him the circumstances and repeats the question to him.
"Fookin hell, Mick!" cries Paddy. "Dat's simple... it's a cuckoo."
"Are you sure, Paddy ?" asks Mick.
"I'm fookin sure."
Mick hung up the phone and told the TV presenter, "I'll go with da Cuckoo as my answer."
"Is that your final answer ?" asked the host.
"Dat it is, Sir."
There's the usual long, long pause, then the presenter screams, "Cuckoo is the correct answer ! Mick, you've won £1 million!"
The next night, Mick invites Paddy to their local pub to buy him a drink."
Tell me, Paddy ? How in God's name did you know it was the Cuckoo that doesn't build its own nest ? I mean you know fook-all about birds."
"Ah Bejaysus!" laughs Paddy.
"Everybody knows a fookin' Cuckoo lives in a clock !!"

John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.